HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Miramar police have turned the case of the missing mother whose toddler was found alone outside of an apartment complex Sunday over to Hollywood police.
The announcement came on Wednesday afternoon when the 21-year-old mother’s truck was located by Miramar police in Hollywood.
A statement from Hollywood police said: “Miramar Police received information that Leila Cavett had recently traveled to Florida from Alabama, and that her last known location was possibly in the area of Hollywood Boulevard and US 441. Additionally, Miramar Police located Ms. Cavett’s vehicle in Hollywood’s jurisdiction.”
They did not confirm when she was seen in the area or who saw her.
Cavett’s grandmother, Carol Ferdinand and her family arrived outside the Hollywood Police Department on Wednesday from Tennessee to assist in the search.
“She would’ve never left her baby, never,” said Ferdinand. “That’s my granddaughter, I know her.”
The car, a mid to late 1990s white Chevy pick-up truck, was the last vehicle the family said Cavett was driving. It had a Baby on Board tag in the passenger side window.
On Sunday, Cavett’s son — identified by family as two-year-old Kamdyn Cavett Arnold — was found wandering alone in the parking lot of the Edge Apartments, 1860 SW 68th Ave. in Miramar, near the Florida Turnpike.
Her family is still puzzled as to why Cavett’s child would be found in Florida and if she was in the area, why?
“That’s the main question that we’re trying to figure out now. We don’t know of her having any friends or family out here,” her sister Gina Lewis said.
Detectives confirmed that they are reviewing surveillance video from around the Edge Apartments where the boy was found Sunday morning around 9 a.m. by a resident of the apartment complex.
New photos of Leila released
The sisters of Leila Cavett drove 800 miles from their home in Alabama Tuesday along with their mother, who also plans to speak with detectives.
Family released new photos of the 21-year-old mom overnight that showed a tattoo of her son’s name on her right arm, as well as the Jesus “Fish” symbol on her right wrist. The Jesus fish is a well recognized symbol consisting of two curved lines that resemble the image of a fish.
“She has been a great mother to Kamdyn and she would have never left him like that and that’s how we instantly knew that this was bigger,” said Lewis.
Now the missing woman’s mother, sisters, brother, and other family members, including her paternal grandparents and an uncle, have arrived in South Florida.
The toddler went unclaimed for more than 24-hours until word spread to Alabama where Cavett’s family recognized the toddler on social media.
The woman at the Edge Apartments who began talking to Kamdyn after she saw him alone outside could not locate an adult near the child or anyone that knew his identity.
“I asked him where is his mommy and he kind of just pointed everywhere,” Miramar resident Ebony Williams said.
Lori Rodriguez, another resident, said Williams approached her to help and she volunteered to change his diaper and take care of him. Unable to find his parents, the two mothers decided to call 911.
Police searched for almost two hours, Rodriguez said, knocking on doors Sunday to try to find anyone that knew anything about the boy.
He is being cared for by the Department of Children and Families, and is staying with a foster family, according to Miramar PD.
Local 10 was inundated on Sunday with email and calls from viewers who wanted to adopt the boy or donate anything that he needed, especially diapers. The boy was found wearing only a T-shirt, a dirty diaper and was not wearing shoes.
A Miramar PD spokesperson said they were grateful to the community, but that the child was under good care. The family would like to see Kamdyn, but Local 10 was informed that a hearing won’t be held until mid-August.
One of Cavett’s sisters told Local 10: “I FaceTimed her on July 17. We were on the phone for about an hour and she was fine. She didn’t have any plans to come to Florida, so we’re very confused right now.”
Detectives are asking for the public’s help to locate Cavett, who they are now identifying as a missing person. Call the Hollywood Police Department at (954) 764-4357(HELP) or 954-967-4411. Tipsters can e-mail or text to hollywoodpdtips@hollywoodfl.org. Information can also be given to Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-8477(TIPS) or www.browardcrimestoppers.org.